UP MLC Polls: SP Alleges Voter Deletion and Intimidation

Lucknow, October 23: The Samajwadi Party (SP) has raised a series of allegations against the conduct of voting for 11 Legislative Council seats in Uttar Pradesh, which took place on Friday across five graduate and six teacher constituencies.

The party has approached the Election Commission, pointing to what it describes as serious lapses in several districts. Complaints include the deletion of voters' names from lists, the absence of indelible ink, pressure on voters and violations of election rules near polling stations. Some party leaders have also alleged fake voting and attempts to mislead voters. These claims have not been independently verified.

A total of 14,81,310 voters will exercise their franchise in the biennial Legislative Council polls. The state has 2,697 polling stations, and 152 candidates are in the race. Voting is scheduled to end at 4 pm.

SP said that in Lucknow North Assembly constituency, booth number 186 saw a problem where about 50 of nearly 150 people who had got their names added to the voter list were showing as 'deleted'. The party said these voters were therefore unable to vote and asked the Election Commission to act swiftly to protect their rights.

In Jhansi Sadar, SP alleged that voters at booth 260 were not given indelible ink after casting their votes, a lapse it fears could result in repolling. In Madhogarh, Jalaun, it accused some government employees of forcing Muslim voters to sign papers and vote against their will at booth 230. Separately, BJP leaders were accused of causing unrest in Airwa block of Bidhuna, Auraiya.

In Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, the party said BJP agents had placed flags within 200 metres of polling booths 234, 235, 236 and 237 at Kailashvati Inter College, Arthla, influencing voters. It also said teachers were brought to booths in private school buses. Despite a complaint to the ADM, the party says no action has been taken.

Firozabad MP Akshay Yadav, who voted in Saifai with his wife Dr. Richa, said he had received reports of fake voting from several locations and that BJP leaders were sitting inside some booths checking slips. He expressed confidence that a fair election would favour the SP.

In Gorakhpur, a scuffle was reported between SP candidate Dr. Sanjay Tripathi and BJP mandal in-charge Ashish Gupta over remarks made inside the polling premises. In Sitapur, anti-SP posters put up along National Highway-30 were removed and torn by party leaders.

In Jalaun, District Magistrate Sameer and Superintendent of Police Suresh Chandra Rawat inspected the polling station at the district panchayat office in Orai. The DM said voting was peaceful, while the SP assured that there would be no lapse in security arrangements.